Viewing Figures (1972-present (2015)
Over the years Emmerdale Farm/Emmerdale has attracted high audience figures. Its highest ever was 18.6 million in January 1994 because of the plane crash. This page explores the viewing history and figures of Emmerdale from 1972 to present day. 1972-1977 When Emmerdale Farm began it started off as just a regional programme. The first episode was watched by 2.2 million but by early 1973 other regions like Anglia and London were screening the show. Viewing figures by then were around 3 to 4 million. By 1977 the viewing figures had risen to around 10 million and the show was proving to be quite popular. It did not appear in the top 15 ITV shows from 1972 to 1977. 1978-1979 In March 1978 Emmerdale Farm appeared for the first time in the Top 15 ITV rating programmes at 14th place with 15 million viewers, its highest figures for the first time. An episode of Emmerdale Farm in Dec 1978 reached 13th place with 14.1 milion viewers. In 1979 Emmerdale Farm appeared regularly in the Top 15 most watched ITV episodes ranging from 11.1 million to 14 million. An episode in May 1979 reached 10th place in the ratings. Not forgetting that viewing figures were less for shows at easter times and the summer months. Emmerdale Farm was off air from early July 1979 to early January 1980. 1980-1984 Emmerdale Farm first appeared in the Top 15 ITV Shows in March 1980 in 15th place with 12.5 million. The following month it was at 12th place with the same amount. In May 1980 it reached 7th and 11th place with 12.5 and 11.2 million viewers. When it reached 7th place in March 1980 it was just 3 places behind an episode of Coronation Street which had 14.3 million viewers. From October 1980 to July 1981 only the Top 12 were recorded and Emmerdale Farm did not appear. The Audits of Great Britian (AGB) was replaced with the British Audience Research Board (BARB) in July 1981. From August 1981 to December 1981 they decided to change the format of how programme ratings were listed: Rather than list the viewing figures BARB listed the top ten programmes only. The actual rating data has not survived. BARB brought back the original style ratings from January 1982 onwards, although still as a top ten list only until March 1984. Emmerdale Farm did not appear in the new Top 10 format until March 1983 when it got in at 10th place with 11.6 million viewers. In June 1983 it appeared at No 8 with 9.7 million. In March 1984 BARB reverted back to the Top 15 format it had previously abandoned in 1981. In March and April 1984 Emmerdale Farm got 11.3 million viewers and appeared at 15th and 14th place. In May 1984 Emmerdale Farm reached 7th place with 10.2 million viewers. In June it was neck and neck with Crossroads at 11.2 million viewers. In November 1984 Emmerdale Farm reached 11th place with 12.5 million and in December it reached 10th with 13.7 million. 1985-1988 In January 1985 Emmerdale Farm reached 15.1 million viewers and 10th place in the Top 15. And in April 1985 Emmerdale Farm reached its highest in the chart when it came in at 2nd place with 13.6 million viewers, only beaten by Coronation Street at 18 million. In May and June 1985 Emmerdale Farm reached 5th place with 12 million and 11.9 million viewers. In July 1985 Emmerdale Farm camed 2nd again to Coronation Street with 10.2 million viewers and was now challenging Crossroads as the 2nd ITV soap opera. In August, October and November 1985 Emmerdale Farm got in at 10th place on all 3 occasions with 10.6 and 11.6 million viewers. From Dec 1985 to Nov 1986 only the Top 10 was recorded and Emmerdale Farm got to 9th place in April 1986 with 11.8 million viewers and May 1986 saw it reach 6th place. June 1986 saw Emmerdale Farm come 3rd place with 10 million. In July 1986 Emmerdale Farm came 6th place with 9.5 million viewers and August and September the show came at 5th and 9th place with 9.9 and 10.5 million viewers. In April 1987 Emmerdale Farm came in at 8th place with 11 million viewers and at 14th place in the following two months with 8.5 and 9.3 million viewers. In January 1988 Emmerdale Farm came in at 12th place with 11.2 million viewers and at 6th place the following month with 12.7 million and at 9th place in March 1988 with 11.8 million watchers. 1989-1993 1994-present Emmerdale's highest ever viewing figures was Episode 1830 (4th January 1994), which features the immediate aftermath of the plane crash. 16.1 million viewers watched the Tuesday episode. The Sunday omnibus repeat bumped the overall figures up to 18.6 million. This was the highest ever viewing figures for the show. Only Aussie soap Neighbours had reached such figures that rivalled the 2 main soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders. From 1989 to 1996, another Aussie soap, Home And Away was seen as ITV's 2nd soap when Crossroads ended. But H&A begun to lose popularity in 1996 and Emmerdale took over as ITV's 2nd soap. As of 2017 and 2018, Emmerdale regularly is the UK's 2nd soap, beating EastEnders in the ratings. January 1994 Viewing figures, 25 and 27 Jan 1994 The plane crash bumped up viewing figures for Emmerdale. Here is the chart placing for Emmerdale for 24-30 Jan 1994 week, an example of viewing figures. *1 Coronation Street (Wed/Fri) ITV 33'.44m' *2 Coronation Street (Mon/Wed) ITV 21.41m *3 EastEnders (Thu/Sun) BBC1 9,99'm' *4 EastEnders (Tue/Sun) BBC1 4.0'2m' *5 Coronation Street (Fri) ITV 18.62m *6 Neighbours (Mon) BBC1 15.99m *7 Neighbours (Tue) BBC1 15.98m *8 A Touch of Frost (Sun) ITV 33.1m *9 Casualty (Sat) BBC1 15.69m *10 Neighbours (Wed) BBC1 15.68m *11 Neighbours (Fri) BBC1 15.63m *12 Neighbours (Thu) BBC1 15.23m *13 Emmerdale (Tue/Thu) ITV 14.43m *14 The Bill (Thu) ITV 13.80m *15 This is Your Life (Wed) ITV 13.49m *16 Home and Away (Wed) ITV 13.30m *17 The Bill (Fri) ITV 13.28m * Home and Away (Mon) ITV 13.28m *19 Home and Away (Tue) ITV 13.25m *20 Home and Away (Thu) ITV 13.23m Category:Emmerdale.